Easy Zero-Waste Switches (Week 3)
Let’s switch it up!
Part 3 of 4
Third week into the new year, and mornings are getting... slightly easier?
How’s everyone else doing? Starting to settle into the comfort of routine, or still staying up much too late, scrolling mindlessly and/or watching “one more episode” just to get in that extra “me time”? Maybe a bit of both?
We’ve got a new week of Easy Zero-Waste Switches to share. If you’re an intentional social media user, here’s some food for thought. And if you do have a mindless scrolling habit (we can relate), at least you can feel a sense of productivity after reading these!
Here they are:
🌿 Refillable shampoo: If we estimate that the average person goes through about 10-15 bottles of shampoo & conditioner per year, Canada alone uses around 400 million bottles annually, most of which are not recycled. An easy switch is to refill your hair care or dip into the world of shampoo & conditioner bars. We know how hard it can be to find the right hair products, so researched until we found two really beautiful brands we love (Oneka & Bottle None). But if these don’t work for you, some salons are starting to offer refill services as well. Ask around. Consumer demand is the game changer!
🌿 Opt for loose leaf tea: How disappointing is it to learn that your tea bags are often made from plastic? Not only does this add to the growing pile of plastic waste, it releases billions of microplastics into each cup of tea. Yuck. A simple way to avoid this - and often get better quality tea - is to buy loose leaf. Tasty tea without the plastic aftertaste!
🌿 Meal plan: The average Canadian family throws out 140kg of food every year. This means wasted resources used to grow, produce, and distribute food. It contributes to the equivalent of 9.8 million tonnes of CO2 in our environment. And, it means thousands of your hard earned dollars are being thrown out as well. The solution? Meal plans. Yes, they take some time, usually on the weekend when you want to take a break from adulting. BUT, it will actually save you time during the week, knowing exactly what you’re making and having all ingredients on hand! Another great tip we recently heard, to make sure you don’t let things go to waste, is to have a “use first” section in your fridge. Brilliant!
🌿 Safety razors: Shaving is one of those things that used to be an art form before we turned into a throwaway society. If we consider both men and women shave throughout the majority of their adult lives, using disposable razors which only last 2-3 weeks, and the fact that there are over 38 million people in Canada alone... well... that’s a lot of throwaway. One alternative is the safety razor. It brings us back to the beauty of this art form. Shaving stands, pucks, brushes, bowls, foam... slowing down a bit and taking time for certain rituals... we could all use more of this. Some have a slight learning curve, and some are just like your regular razor. Yes, safety razors are a bit of an initial investment. And yes, they also end up saving you lots of money. Such a great switch!
🌿 Recycled toilet paper: This issue hits very close to home. Canada’s boreal forests are the main supplier of toilet paper not only for Canada, but for the US as well. These forests are one of the most important in the world due to their absorption of CO2 (the equivalent of around 24 million passenger vehicles), and they are being cut at a rate of seven NHL hockey rinks every minute. This seriously impacts our air, Indigenous communities, and local ecosystems. One solution? Recycled toilet paper, preferably not wrapped in plastic (which we carry!). Another solution for those willing to try something new is a spray hose or bidet. Most are very easy to attach to your toilet and some even come with a hot water adapter, so you won’t jump out of your seat!
🌿 Compostable dish cleaning tools: This is one of our favourite easy zero-waste switches because it’s inexpensive and adds beauty to your home. They’re such a wonderful alternative to sponges which are usually made from fossil fuels, stay on the planet for centuries, and love to harbour bacteria. Seeing wooden brushes and compostable cloths adorning your sink is one of life’s very simple pleasures.
🌿 Repair & mend: We talked last week about the impacts of the fashion industry on the environment, and how opting for gently loved previously owned clothing and slow fashion are great alternatives. One more zero-waste solution is to repair and mend items instead of throwing them away. It has become a bit of a lost skill, but one that can be very rewarding to learn! (The Spool Sewing Studio next door is a great place to start!) This applies not only to clothing, but many household items, ranging from furniture to appliances. You can hire someone to help you out, or utilize some of the extensive amount of expertise available online. The feeling of accomplishment after making something new again is pretty fantastic!
So that’s our list for the week. As always, try one, try them all, or save the list for later. You could even share the list with someone you know who is dipping their toes into zero-waste waters! Remember to be gentle with yourself and others no matter where we're all at on this journey. With many of us trying, every bit helps! ❤🌎